Shut Up 'n Listen

Review by Kevin Templeton

With an alarming number of bands these days opting for simplicity and style over solos and self-indulgence, it's unusual to hear of an independent artist like David D. Marton who plays by his own contemporary rules of expression (wait a minute, this review is starting to sound like a guitar solo!). Listening to the nine instrumental tracks on Shut Up 'n Listen brings to mind progressively-minded artists like Joe Satriani (especially) and Dream Theater, with some tasteful (!) piano and acoustic guitar added for an underlining earthy feel on cuts like "Waves of Emotion" and "Pain of Wisdom." But it didn't exactly surprise me to hear the needless sexual groans of a female at the end of Marton's solo in "Lips Tulips," nor the silly keyboard/guitar flourishes in "@$%! Up."

Marton's instrumental opus is, unquestionably, an excellently-produced and packaged disc; by technical standards, David D. is a musical genius of the highest order. Unfortunately, I've never been one for guitar wankfests, and I certainly don't need to be told to "shut up 'n listen"... especially with that god-awful fretboard smoke oozing from my speakers.

Artist Contact Info: 5875 Royal Oak Ave., Burnaby, B.C., Canada, marton@vaxxine.com